Related stories from The Wichita Eagle

Volunteers have replaced every inch of wire, every cable, every pulley. They’ve changed wing spars, and many of the skin panels, which were corroded by salt and sand. They’ve painted the interior with anti-corrosive paint. Any damage was repaired. Corrosion was everywhere, volunteers say.

Four new engines, later versions of the original engines, are being installed.

Modern Garmin avionics also will be added so it can be flown.

Volunteers must also secure a modern hangar where the plane can have a permanent home – a place that is both accessible for the public and on an active runway.

When Friends of Doc was formed, members made a pact to keep the airplane in Wichita, said former Spirit AeroSystems CEO Jeff Turner, who is chairman of the Doc’s Friends board of directors.

That’s the big reason so much energy is behind the restoration here, Turner said.

Other communities have offered to build a hangar to house the B-29, Turner said.

But “the airplane was built in Wichita; the airplane was restored in Wichita,” he said. “This airplane needs to live here.”

It also must be kept indoors – in part because B-29s weren’t built to today’s standards.

“A hailstorm would be catastrophic,” Turner said. “Keeping it inside in Kansas is a really, really, really good idea.”

The final phase of the project will be to use the B-29 as a touring museum so the public can view it and hear the stories of those who served on them.

“We want to connect people,” Turner said.

It will take an estimated $7 million to $9 million to finish the restoration, get the plane flying and secure a hangar, Turner said.

“None of us are professional fundraisers,” Turner said. “We’re looking for people who want to step up.”

‘Ahead of their time’

The B-29 was the first bomber to have a pressurized crew compartment, remote-controlled guns and advanced radar for bombing and navigation.

The engines also were the most advanced engines of the time, said Scott Sarver, a volunteer on the project.

They were turbo supercharged, although initially they weren’t all that reliable.

“There was a bit of a problem keeping them running,” Sarver said. “They were tweaked and modified to be used at high altitudes. … They were pushed ahead of their time.”

During World War II, B-29s flew with a crew of 10 to 11 people. Flying it in its restored status will require a minimum crew of six, volunteers say.

Originally, crew members used smoke charts as a guide to determine what was wrong if a B-29 developed problems. Ten illustrations in the flight manual depicted different colors of smoke coming from various parts of the plane and what to do, including when to bail out, Norman said.

“You could tell what was wrong with the airplane by the chart,” Norman said.

Before the B-29, bomber pilots, who flew at lower altitudes, didn’t know much about jet streams, especially the strong jet streams found over Japan in the winter, Sarver said.

“They didn’t understand the power of it, where it was stronger and weaker around the globe,” he said.

So when they released bombs from a high altitude, where they could fly because of the pressurized cabin, their bombs often did not hit the targets, he said.

Instead, they began doing night missions so they could fly at lower altitudes, Sarver said.

In the meantime, they learned about jet streams.

“It was something they learned because of the B-29,” Sarver said.

The crew also wore heated flight suits and boots that were plugged into electrical outlets so they stayed warmer at the higher and colder altitudes.

The cabin wasn’t heated, Sarver said.

Since the restored plane won’t be pressurized, it will fly at lower altitudes.

Flying it lower will also allow more people to see it, Sarver said.

Skilled love needed

The project has been a labor of love.

As the Air Capital of the World, Wichita has the aviation expertise to see the project through, officials said.

“The aviation infrastructure here is very good,” Sarver said. “There’s a lot of talented people with the skills we need.”

Still, the project needs volunteers with specific skills, such as aircraft electricians, sheet metal mechanics, another inspector and those with radial engine experience.

“We want this thing perfect when it rolls out the doors,” Norman said.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.